Today's letters: Theresa Spence is a hero

Theresa Spence is a hero

Re: Don’t Call Spence A Hero, Christie Blatchford, Dec. 28.
It is quite a stretch for Christie Blatchford to insinuate that the actions of Chief Theresa Spence equate with terrorism. Terrorism is defined by violent acts, or threats of violent action, perpetrated against innocent victims in order to intimidate and coerce government for political gain. Hunger strikes are a far cry from terrorism. They were successfully used by Mahatma Gandhi and others in the process of gaining India’s independence from British rule, so I doubt most people would agree with Ms. Blatchford’s statement about there being “no end to the stupidity bred by hunger strikes.”
It is in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi that Chief Spence is calling attention to the erosion of First Nation rights by the Canadian government’s underhanded tactics. Unlike immigrants to this land, who were or became subjects of the Crown, First Nations were free and independent peoples who made treaties with the Crown under provisions of the Royal Proclamation of 1763, now entrenched in the Constitution Act of 1982. Under those terms, Chief Spence has every right to request the Crown’s representatives, the Governor-General and the Prime Minister of Canada, to meet with her.
Regardless of whether Ms. Blatchford deems, aboriginal culture to have survived completely intact or not, it is this treaty relationship, and recognition of aboriginal people as original landholders, that defines their rights and status in Canada. Jennifer Asimoudis, Ancaster, Ont.

Actions speak louder than words. I think Theresa Spence’s action are much louder, braver and worthy of the precious space in your paper and in the attention of the nation than Christie Blatchford’s small world-view or the inaction of the Prime Minster, who can crash a wedding but has no time to meet a leader of her people who is willing to put herself in harm’s way to open a dialogue.
Canada once stood for something better. I guess with the federal Conservative Party, our Prime Minister and Ms. Blatchford, that no longer applies. Joe Healy, Toronto.

Re: Swagger Nation, Joe O’Connor; Canada Can Do Better, Conrad Black, both Dec. 29; Don’t Call Spence A Hero, Christie Blatchford, Dec. 28.
I disagree that we are now a “Swagger nation” and I agree with Conrad Black that “Canada can do better.” For Canada can’t possibly have its swagger on when a First Nations woman leader is entering her third week of a hunger strike and is sleeping in a teepee just a short distance from our Prime Minster, who refuses to speak with her. Canada can’t possibly feel good about the Third World-living conditions of aboriginal youth and of a government that provides First Nations child welfare agencies 22% less than provincial governments supply to Children’s Aid Societies. And Canadians surely can’t feel a swagger coming on when Ottawa provides at least $3,500 less a year for each First Nation student who attends a reserve school than the per-student norm paid by provinces.
I agree with Mr. Black — we can do better as a nation. We can be a kind, caring nation that equally provides for all people. Sue Nielsen, Cobalt, Ont.

Theresa Spence’s hunger strike is for the good of everyone, indigenous or not. She is acting for all people and the watersheds we rely on for life, because Bill C45’s destruction of the Navigable Waters Protection Act eventually affects all of us.
These large omnibus bills are expensive mistakes, hastily pushed through without adequate consultation. This is the biggest news story of 2012, and all media should have covered it in much more detail. Our children and grandchildren will pay the price of this mistake.
Chief Spence is reminding all Canadians that we have historical treaties that guide our relations with Indigenous peoples. In respecting our treaty responsibilities, Canadians benefit by protecting our own future, which relies on clean water and healthy lands. Rita Wong, Vancouver.

… or has she ‘garnered far more attention than she deserves’?

It seems that Theresa Spence believes that she is no longer just a chief of a small First Nations band near James Bay, but is instead a leader of a nation. If she truly believes that, she might want to take the time to reflect on what being a leader of a nation means. Ultimatums and hunger strikes are not the stuff of leadership. Ms. Spence has garnered far more attention and publicity than she deserves, and it is time for the real leaders within the Assembly of First Nations to find a way for her to withdraw gracefully. Jeff Spooner, Kinburn, Ont.

Some years ago I was privileged to spend time in native communities on a federal government project, observing craft production with a view to enhancing native employment opportunities within these communities. I know there are serious issues facing many Canadian aboriginal communities, but I feel sorry that Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence has been literally thrust upon the people of these communities as a spokesperson.
She is the least worthy person to represent aboriginal causes. Remember, this is the same aboriginal band leader who squandered $90-million of federal government funding over the past six years, leaving many band member families on her native reserve without the bare necessities of life. And then she complained when she was found out.
Other native leaders — Coon Come, Atleo, Brasseur — are much more worthy and qualified to address the serious issues facing many aboriginal bands. Duane Sharp, Mississauga, Ont.

Re: Idle Thoughts, Dec. 27.
I agree with Métis blogger Chelsea Vowel — the residential school system was a disastrous mistake, and forcing people off reserves doesn’t work. But that assumes that aboriginals want to live off-reserve and adopt Canadian values. Ms. Vowel obviously did, given her present location (Montreal).
My family, of the Algonquin band in the Ottawa valley, certainly did — we’re now spread out quite thinly, and pretty much none of us are on reserves. Does that mean our history and heritage is dead? Of course not. It does, however, mean that even as early as the First World War, my family knew reservation life was a hindrance more than it was a help. And it was a hindrance born out of opinions exactly like Ms. Vowels, which support the rights of aboriginal peoples to hang on to a small sliver of the 1800s.
You can’t help a people who won’t accept help. Unless it means agreeing (note: not admitting) that we’ve been stealing from native Canadians for centuries, they’re not interested. But the help is there. Just in case there’s another Chelsea Vowel wanting to make use of it. James Homuth, Ottawa.

Re: In Defence Of The Niqab, Samira Kanji And Azeezah Kanji, Dec. 28.
I would like to thank Samira Kanji and Azeezah Kanji for bringing an often ignored perspective to the discussion on the niqab. The only real experts opinion on the topic are women who choose to wear the niqab themselves.
Sexual crimes against women are not a minor issue. Taking an active stand to protect oneself against such crimes should be celebrated, rather than questioned.
The niqab is about much more than meets the eye (ironically) — it is about women demanding to be seen for their personalities, education, and inner traits, rather than their figures or hairstyle. It really is about gender equality, because feminism has truly failed if we still cannot get past the insecurity of not being able to judge a woman by her physical beauty. Nazia Khurshid, Vaughan, Ont.

Do we deserve to swagger?

Re: Swagger Nation, Joe O’Connor, Dec. 29.
During my 37-year career in the Royal Canadian Air Force, I swaggered around the world proudly wearing the Canadian flag. If I had to do it today, after nearly seven years of the Harper government and all the damage its done to Canada’s reputation internationally, I’d have to wear a bag over my head. Bob Larocque, Carrying Place, Ont.

From 1939 to 1945, Canada was a real swagger nation with 10% of its entire population volunteering for war service of some type to defend the world from crude and cruel dictatorships (save for one physically fit, rich spoiled brat who hid out in a university until after the war when he did his best to try to turn Canada into an international door mat). Fortunately, it is now clear he failed. Ian M. Sherwin, Victoria.

I agree that it’s time for Canada to be more aware of its gifts, even though we have issues to solve. We need people to be aware of the privilege we have in being able to exercise our right to vote. And we need to be more aware of the importance of listening to each other.
We are far from perfect. But we need to use our gifts and our bounty to make our society better. Esther Ewing, Toronto.

I read that “Canada’s got swagger: Our days of modesty are now over.”
Pity. David Precious, Halifax.

Gunn on guns in schools

Re: Putting Armed Guards In School Isn’t A New Idea, George Jonas, Dec. 29.
When I was a teenager, many of my peers had guns and the high school I attended in North Toronto (Lawrence Park Collegiate) had a shooting range in its basement. The boys took rifle practice while the girls studied household economics. The school was short of guns and the teacher asked the boys to bring their guns to school, so this would free up enough school guns for those without to use. But since guns could not legally be carried openly on the street, we were warned to have them suitably concealed on the way to school.
I had a cheap Cooey 22 calibre rifle, which I sometimes kept in my locker. A colleague had a much superior Winchester. I persuaded him to sell it to me (without parent or government intervention). There was never any thought of shooting fellow students or some teacher we didn’t like, and I never heard of that happening.
Today, we have those who believe that banning guns is the solution to our gun violence problem; others that say the real problem is the culture of violence the children have been exposed to. I believe it is the latter. But what to do? One can’t change the culture overnight, and banning guns is a naive action in face of the reality that it leaves the guns in the hands of the criminals. This problem will be a continuing concern. Robert C. Gunn, Mississauga, Ont.

The printed word runs this world

Re: How Religious Faith Created The Modern World, Dec. 22
It was the “invention” of writing that has created today’s world. In ancient Sumer (Mesopotamia), temples had a scriptorium to record daily life (the tax collector was much feared). Writing was a profession: to become a scribe took at least 12 years in those days. Being a scribe was a much-coveted “job,” with parents going to great lengths (supplying the temple with extra rations of food supplies) to enroll their sons. The invention of paper (brought to Spain by the Arabs) and the invention of the printing press, allowed universities to enlarge their libraries.
It is the printed word that runs this world.Olga Pitcairn, New Hope, Penn.

Checkout charity

Re: Donating At The Checkout: Hypocrisy Or A Worthy Act?, letters to the editor
Whenever I am asked at a checkout line to make a donation, I simply ask the cashier if the store will be matching my donation. If it is not, then I tell the cashier that I do not need the store to collect donations on my behalf. Nine times out of 10, I am told that the store is not matching donations. To give some credit, I was told by a Walmart cashier once that they were matching so I threw in my toonie. This was a rare exception and Walmart should be applauded.
While the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) can claim its government status precludes it from giving to charity, privately owned stores do not have that defence. If a store was to include their customers’ money as part of their corporate donations, then this is a particularly objectionable practice. One should not have to feel guilty or embarrassed for not giving in the checkout line. Stores, however, should be embarrassed for collecting money if they are not contributing any of their own. Lorne Cutler, Ottawa.

When shopping at the LCBO, aren’t we already making a generous charitable donation to the Ontario government? David Townson, Toronto.

Re: The Wrong Way To Ask For Charity, Jonathan Kay, Dec. 27.
What difference does it make whether a request to give to a charity is made at the checkout of a liquor store, grocery store or any other kind of store? All are very annoying. Even if the charity is one I favour, I still say “No,” simply because I will not get the receipt I need in order to get a tax break, so I do not feel guilty, only irritated. Cherry Rowlands, North Vancouver, B.C.

Barry Gibb is ‘Stayin’ Alive’

Re: What Do You Remember From 2012?
In the “Gone, but not forgotten” section of this quiz, Robin Gibb is identified as the “last of the Bee Gees.” Wrong. Barry Gibb is still alive (Stayin’ Alive) and kicking. I even named my son after him. Paula Kelly, Oshawa, Ont.

‘Palimpsest’ — A great word

Re: Vested Palimpsest, Robert Fulford, Dec. 18.
My thanks to Robert Fulford for introducing me to the word “palimpsest.” I came across it in two different books recently: Joseph Anton by Salman Rushdie and On Borrowed Words (a memoir of language) by Ilan Stavans.
It was a pleasure to know the meaning of such a rare word. Marlene Lovinsky, Toronto.

In the wake of a Grammy Awards ceremony that disappointed many, from Kanye West to the masses on Twitter lamenting the state of pop music, a historical perspective is key. Few are better poised to offer one than Andy Kim.